Sash balance connecting means



July 2%, 1965 Filed Aug. 16, 1961 w. D. NoEs 2 sheets sheet l 20 fwd WVN/ INVENTOR. \A/ILLIAM DOUGLAS News Arramvxv 5113 2@, 1965 w. D. NOBES3,195,374

SASH BALANCE CONNECTING MEANS Filed Aug. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. WILLIAM DOUGLAS Noses ArmR/vay United States Patent 3,195,174SAH BALANQE QGNNEQTENG MEANS William Douglas Nobes, Rochester, N.Y.,assignor to The (Ialdweli Manufacturing Company, New York, N.Y., acorporation of New York Filed Aug. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 131,861 8 Claims.((11. 162tl2) This invention relates to the sash balances for a doublehung window and more particularly to sash balance connecting means andrelated hardware for double hung so called take-out, or removableWindows.

It is necessary in the operation of sash balance platform take-outhardware to lock the balances in an extended position so that the sashmay be lifted off the platforms so that they may be shifted laterallyand removed from the window unit. Particularly in the case of uppersashes which must be operational in their uppermost position, it is notpossible to stop the balance travel with the counter balanced sash belowthe fully closed position, as in the case of a platform type take-outlower sash. These upper sashes should lock out at their low est possibleposition in order to obtain full sash opening.

It has formerly been necessary in the operation of platform take-outhardware to use compression type jambs, friction type balance locks ormanually operated balance locks; which means have proved to be diificultto operate, expensive to install and easily rendered inoperable as bybreakage or sticking. More modern devices have required extensiveadjustments and attachments to be made to the sash balance in order toprovide an eflicient means by which the balance may be locked in anyposition. The most widely used sash balance lock is manually operated,sometimes requiring a juggling process of holding the window with onehand while attempting to manipulate the lock with the other hand. Thesemanual locks have had a tendency to stick, become painted shut andbecome unsightly to the appearance of the window.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an upper sashbalance latch or sash connecting means, and related hardware whichovercome the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sash balancelatch in which balance locking is positive and simple, operation beingpart of the normal action of removing and replacing the sash.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sash balance latch whichpermits pre-determination of the locked position of the balance.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an upper sash balancelatch which integrates the still stop into the locking assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a balance latch which isautomatic, thereby eliminating the need for separate manual actuation ofthe lock.

Still another object of the invention upper sash balance lock which canbe efficiency in wood or metal windows.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an upper sash balancelatch and related hardware for double hung windows which is economicaland which can be used with spiral balances, clock spring balances,extension springs, or counter weights.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an upper sashbalance lock which is self-aligning and which is therefore maintained byits own nature in correct adjustment.

is to provide an used with equal dlhsd'id Patented July 20, 1%65 Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a simple device of the naturedescribed which is unaffected by wear and not subject to contaminationby dirt, moisture, etc.; therefore not requiring close tolerancemanufacture.

These and other objects of the invention and the invention itself willbe understood by reference to the drawings and to the followingdescription of a preferred embodi merit of the apparatus used thereinwhich invention being an improved type of upper sash balance latch andrelated hardware for double hung windows.

In the drawings, therefore:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of the sash connecting means, or latch, innormal position, mounted for use.

FIGv 2 is a cross-sectional view of the latch taken at Section AA ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the alignment guide 11 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sill stop 12 taken at SectionB-B of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the latch mounted for use and in variouspositions of operation.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the sash carrier and extension to which thelatch is fastened,

Therefore, the invention is basically a latch, or sash balanceconnector, a sash balance particularly an upper sash balance which is ofa type which locks on basic stroke and releases on alternate strokesthrough rotation of the notched wheel 10. It also functions as a sillstop for the sash and incorporates features which make it self-aligning.

The subject device therefore comprises a rotating wheel 1% which ismounted on a carrier riding in a track 15, a combination aligning deviceand latching stop or latch retainer 11, and a combination sill stop andwheel positioner 12. The wheel Ill is mounted on the carrier 25 which isattached to the sash carrier 24 on which rests the sash 23 which ismoved downward toward the sill 14. As the wheel carrier 25, beingcarried on a slide moving in the platform track and positioned below theplatform, moves down with the sash, it passes the latching stop 11 whichprojects perpendicularly to the side from the jamb of the window. If thewheel 10 is oriented in any position other than with the notchesparallel to the vertical center line of the sash and track, it strikesthe angled section of the latching stop 11 or the projecting tip 13 ofsaid latching stop and is rotated into proper alignment. Furtherdownward movement of the sash 20, etc., brings a leg of the lower notchof the wheel into contact with the sill stop 12. The leg slides along thprojection of the stop until the stop is seated in the root of the V asat 1%. At this point, the upper notch is so oriented that it will engagethe lower edge of the latch 11, contacting on a leg of the V. Furtherupward travel rotates the wheel 11 further, seating the latch in theroot of the V and placing the other leg of the notch in contact with thelatch so that further upward travel or rotation of the wheel 10 isimpossible, as at 100. The balance is locked in place and the sash maybe moved up- Ward, disengaging the platforms, so that the sash isshifted and removed from the frame.

In order to replace the sash, it is seated on the platform, moved in adownward direction, thus again moving the wheel 14 down to contact thesill stop 12. On this stroke, contact with the latch 11 has left thewheel so oriented that an outside edge of leg 3t) contacts sill stop 12and further rotation results until the sill stop 12 is fully contactedand movement further in a downward- 1 ea direction is prevented. At thispoint the sash is fully seated.

Upward movement of the sash brings an outside edge of leg 3-1 of thewheel 1nd into contact with latch 11 because of prior orientation at thesill stop 32. On this contact, the wheel is rotated clear of the latch11 to a position such that the notches are in line with the track 15 andnormal sash operation is possible.

In order to remove the upper sash of a double hung window in accordancewith the present invention, the sash is moved downward toward the sill14. As the wheel 10 moves down with the sash it engages the sill stop12,

thus positioning the wheel 10 as at ltlb to go into the locking position100. The sash 26 is raised and then re moved and the wheel 10 engagesthe latch retainer 11 at 10c and holds the balance in the extendedposition.

In order to unlock the balance, the sash is replaced and lowered untilthe wheel ltl engages the sill stop 12 as at 19d and the wheel is thusin the unlocked. position, Upon raising the sash, thewheel 10 willstrike the latch retainer 11 and rotate to the normal lltla so that thesash will operate normally.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, the latch 10 is shown in normal or freeposition, as designated at 10a in FIG. 5. The wheel is carried on acarrier 24 mounted on a balance rod 23. The sash 20 has these partsdetachably connected thereto. The parting stop is shown at 21 and theblind stop at 22. FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 show cross-sectional and side viewsof the parts shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows'the various positions of the wheel 19. The normal positionof the wheel is shown at lilo, the wheel being mounted in the track 15.The numeral ltlb designates the wheel in lock-ready position as when itcontacts sill stop 12. When 100 is in locked position in contact withthe latch retainer and guide 11 as in an upward movement of thesash. Thewheel 10d is in unlocked position resulting from the downward movementof the sash following the locking engagement with the latch retainer 11.The Wheel like is shown in guided position in which guide 13 and angledportion 32 come into play when the wheel 10 is in any position otherthan normal FIG. 6 shows the position of the balance rod 23 and the sashcarrier 24, with the sash carrier extension 25 fastened to the carrierand carrying the rotating Wheel 10,, therebyshowing the relationship ofthe positions of the wheel to the sash.

It will be appreciated that my new device allows either an upper orlower sash to be removed in .a variety of ways. For instance, theplatform portions, since not essential to the latching operation itselfmay be modified greatly to aid in various removal operations. Upon saidmodifications of the platform, for removal the sash might'be turnedoutwardly, swung' to the left or right, slid up or down the windowguideway as would be desired. Furthermore, my device could easily beadopted for use with flexible cord supports that are old in the art.

-Hereinabove I have described and illustrated our invention inconnection with certain specific embodiments. It Will-be obvious thatthis invention, and the novel teaching described herein, may be embodiedor incorporated in other forms or embodiments. All such variations andembodiments are, of course, contemplated.

- I claim: 7

1. A sash balance latching device comprising a rotatable latch, a metalguideway afiixed to a window frame, a slidable sash carrier positioned,in part, in said guide- Way, a first stop positioned at a specifiedlatching distance within said guide-way; a second stop positioned inclose proximity to the outside edge of said guideway, said second stopof a substantially projecting sheet'metal in a rectangularconfiguration, said rotatable latch fastened to said sash carrier by anaxial fastener such that complete rotation of said latch may beaccomplished about said fastener, said latch in a substantialrectangular configuration with portions notched in the ends thereof;said rotatable latch and slidable sash carrier afiixed to an extensiblemember, said member to be used in conjunction with a balance device.

2. A latching device as in claim 1, the notched portions of therotatable member having a substantially V- shaped configuration.

3. A sash balance connector comprising a rotatable wheel attached to aslidable sash carrier .attached to and moved by a sash balance, saidsash carrier adapted to move in a guideway afiixed to a window frame,said rotatable wheel being maintained in alignment during its movementby a latch retainer, said rotatable wheel moving into engagement with astop positioned on said guideway, said stop moving said rotatable wheelinto engagement with said latch retainer, and thereby maintaining saidsash carrier in a fixed position for the removal of a window sash.

4. A sash balance connector comprising a rotatable wheel having anotched portion attached to a slidable sash carrier attached to andmoved by a sash balance, said sash carrier adapted to move in a guidewayafifixed to a window frame, said rotatable wheel being maintained inalignment during its'movement by a latch retainer, said rotatable wheelmoving into engagement with a stop positioned on said guideway, saidstop moving said rotatable wheel into engagement with said latchretainer, and thereby maintaining said sash carrier in a fixed positionfor the removal of a window sash, I

5. A sash balance connector comprising a rotatable wheel having anotched portion of a substantially V- a shaped configuration attached toa slidable sash carrier attached to and moved by a sash balance, saidsash carrier adapted to move in a guideway aifixed to a window frame,said rotatable wheel being maintained in alignment during its movementby a latch retainer, said rotatable wheel moving into engagement with astop positioned on said gu-ideway, said stop moving said rotatable wheelinto engagement with said latchretainer, and thereby maintaining saidsash carrier in a fixed position for the removal of a window sash.

6. A sash balance connector for maintaining a sash balance in a fixedposition when said balance is extended so as to permit the removal of atake-out window comprising a rotatable wheel attached to a take-out sashcarrying platform and movable on .a platform track, a stop forcooperating with said rotatable wheel positioned on said platform track,to rotate said wheel into engaging position with a latch retainer, so asto maintain said platform in a fixed position, for the rem-oval of saidtake-out window, said latch retainer also cooperating with saidrotatable wheel to align said rotatable wheel in position for movementwith said sash carrying platform.

7. A sash balance connector for maintaining a sash balance in a fixedposition when said balance is extended so as to permit the removal of atake-out wind-ow comprising a rotatable wheel having a notched portionattached to a take-out sash carrying platform and movable on a platformtrack, a stop for cooperating with said rotatable wheel positioned onsaid platform track, to rotate said wheel into engaging position with alatch retainer, so as to maintain said platform ina fixed position,

for the removal of said take-out window, said latch retainer alsocooperating with said rotatable wheel to align said rotatable wheel inposition for movement wi-thrsaid sash carrying platform. a

a 53. A sash balance connector for maintaining a sash balance in a fixedposition when said balance is extended into engaging position with alatch retainer, so as to main- 5 6 tain said platform in a fixedposition, for the removal of 1,011,734 12/11 Brown et a1 16-202 saidtake-out window, said latch retainer also cooperating 1,070,852 8/ 1'3Stanecky et a1 16-202 with said rotatable wheel to align said rotatablewheel in 1,932,906 10/33 Muir et a1. 16202 position for movement withsaid sash carrying plat-form. 2,517,059 8/ 59 Van Every.

References Citefi by the Examiner 5 FOREIGN E F UNITED STATES PATENTS4,006 2/ 08 Great Brltaln.

804,721 11/05 Hamilton 16-202 DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

999,292 8/11 Bagna-ll 16202

8. A SASH BALANCE CONNECTOR FOR MAINTAINING A SASH BALANCE IN A FIXEDPOSITION WHEN SAID BALANCE IS EXTENDED SO AS TO PERMIT THE REMOVAL OF ATAKE-OUT WINDOW COMPRISING A ROTATABLE WHEEL HAVING A NOTCHED PORTION OFA SUBSTANTIALLY V-SHAPED CONFIGURATION ATTACHED TO A TAKEOUT SASHCARRYING PLATFORM AND MOVABLE ON A PLATFORM TRACK, A STOP FORCOOPERATING WITH SAID ROTATABLE WHEEL POSITIONED ON SAID PLATFORM TRACK,TO ROTATE SAID WHEEL INTO ENGAGING POSITION WITH A LATCH RETAINER, SO ASTO MAINTAIN SAID PLATFORM IN A FIXED POSITION, FOR THE REMOVAL OF SAIDTAKE-OUT WINDOW, SAID LATCH RETAINER ALSO COOPERATING WITH SAIDROTATABLE WHEEL TO ALIGN SAID ROTATABLE WHEEL IN POSITION FOR MOVEMENTWITH SAID SASH CARRYING PLATFORM.